Powder dispenser



April 1955 H. I. KEITH POWDER DISPENSER Filed on. 19, 1951 v INVENTOR. 172/23 f. 1153671 6 BY W 1 4;,

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United States Patent POWDER DISPENSER Henry I. Keith, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Frank H. Keith, Chicago, 11].

Application October 19, 1951, Serial No. 252,163

10 Claims. (Cl. 222-227) This invention relates to a powder dispenser in the more broader aspects thereof.

More specifically this invention relates to a compact mechanical dispenser for face powder which may be easily carried in a womans purse.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a powder carrying dispenser having valving means therein which definitely cuts off the powder supply and which does not pack the powder at the valving area so that the powder will not interfere with the valve structure per se.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a powder dispensing means wherein the mechanical dispensing and valving structure may be bodily removed therefrom as a unitary assembly for periodic cleaning purposes, and particularly at times when the face powder is changed from one type and color to another type and color.

A further object of the present invention resides in the use of winged guides which definitely center the dispensing and valving mechanism within the powder container and wherein at least one of said winged means not only functions as a guide, but also as a means for loosening and stirring up the powder particularly in an area adjacent the valving end of the dispenser.

Other objects and advantages relating to a powder dispenser of the present construction shall hereinafter appear in the following detailed description having reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 22 in Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a plan sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 in Fig. 2 and looking downwardly as there indicated;

Fig. 4 is another plan sectional view taken transversely of the powder dispenser and substantially as viewed along the line 4-4 in Fig. 2, and looking upwardly as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the bottom valving portion of the dispenser generally illustrating a use thereof;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the powder scoop which is used for filling the dispenser and which normally occupies a nested position within the dispenser to be carried directly therewith;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal cross sectional view on a medial plane of a modified construction of powder dispenser using a slightly different arrangement of valving and dispensing structure; and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged bottom end view of the dispenser illustrated in Fig. 7 to show further details of construction thereof.

The dispenser illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive comprises a container 1 having a powder barrel 2 and a closure cap 3 with a dispensing mechanism 4 carried within the barrel 2. The dispensing and valving structure comprises a unitary assembly having a stem 5 guided within the tube or barrel 2 by means of an upper winged spider 6 and a lower winged spider 7, with the stem 5 terminating in a valving and dispensing head 8 as best illustrated in Fig. 2

The valving and dispensing head 8 cooperates with the lower end of the barrel 2 which terminates with a conical of the powder dispenser 2,706,583 Patented Apr. 19, 1955 ice bottom 9 having a cylindrical port 10 formed therethrough. The head 8 comprises a valve actuating stud 11 which depends from a cylindrical cutoff valve 12 connected with an upwardly tapered cylindrical dispensing boss 13. The winged spider 7 is suitably secured to the boss 13 while the winged spider 6 is slidably carried upon an upper, end 14 of the stem 5. The upper end 14 of stem 5 carries a retaining pin 15 in an opening 16 which will normally prevent outward movement of the winged spider 6 when the dispensing and valve mechanism is removed from the barrel 2. An expansion spring 17 is interposed between the valve head 8 and the upper winged spider 6 to normally carry the valving structure in operative relation with respect to the conical end 9 of the barrel 2.

The entire dispensing and valving structure 4 is assembled with the barrel through the upper end of the latter with the wings 18 of the winged spider 7 directed inwardly into the tube 2 out of registry with a plurality of retaining projections 19 that are formed radially inwardly in the wall of the dispenser barrel 2.

In the same fashion, the wings 20 of the upper winged spider 6 may also be angularly displaced for movement lengthwise of the barrel and out of registry with the projections 19 to a position below the projections at which time the spider 6 may be slightly rotated in line with the projections 19. Then under the action of the expansion spring 17, the upper spider 6 will be locked against endwise outward movement of the barrel 2 by reason of the connecting engagement with the projections 19.

Outward movement of the head 8 and its associated parts under the action of the spring 17 will be prevented by the feather edge shoulder 21 which engages the upper peripheral edge 22 of the port 10 formed in the conical end 9 of the barrel 2. The vertical distance between the feather edge shoulder 21 when seated in the barrel and the plane of the three projections 19 is such that the spring 17 will be held by the spider 6 to urge the head 8 in the closed position and so that the spider 6 is out of engagement with the retaining pin or means 15.

The dispensing device may be operated by forcing the entire container downwardly upon a suitable surface such as a powder puff 23 with the actuating stud 11 in contact therewith which will cause an upward movement of the entire stem 5 and its connected parts against the expansion spring 17. This dispensing operation may be accomplished with the device held in generally vertical position as shown in full lines in Fig, 5, or the dispenser may be operated in any tilted position for axial operation as best illustrated in dot and dash lines in Fig. 5. Such tilted operation is made feasible by the use of the conical end 9 on the barrel 2. When the dispenser is operated, the cut-off valve 12 leaves the port 10 and the stem 5 will then be centrally guided within the barrel 2 by means of the cooperative spiders 6 and 7, thus keeping the dispensing parts in their coaxial relationship within the barrel 2.

When the valving structure 8 is raised as shown in Fig. 5, some of the powder may drop out through the annular port 10, but a greater portion of the dispensing action occurs when the valving mechanism moves outwardly under the action of the spring 17 as the barrel 2 is raised upwardly from the powder puff 23. This is due to the collective action of the winged spider which does stir and fluif the powder at the dispensing end of the container together with the conical boss 13 which does create a limited amount of action downwardly and laterally through the powder together with the shoulder portion 24 of the terminal end of the cut-off 12. As the cut-off 12 again leaves the port 10, the flow or discharge of powder is definitely stopped since the diameters of the port 10 and cut-off 12 are substantially equal to only allow a sliding fit. As the head 8 descends to close the valve, the feather edge shoulder 21 strikes the inner peripheral edge 22 of the conical end 9 of the container stopping further outward movement of the dispensing mechanism. Since this edge 21 presents an upwardly and outwardly tapered adjacent area with a very fine knifed like shoulder that prevents packing of the powder in the area and vicinity of the valve cut-oif structure, the shoulder 21 is substantially freefrom any interference of packed powder under all normal conditions of operation.

If for any reason the valving and dispensing mechanism is to be removed such as to clean the same when changig powder, it is only necessary to move the spider 6 downzardly free of the projections 19 and to turn such spider pen the stem to permit movement of the latter through me barrel 2 and between the projections 19 best illusrated in Fig. 3. It should also be noted that the spider has its wings deformed to provide upwardly concave ortions which provide convenient centering means to ssist in locking or removing the dispensing means from he projections 19.

This dispenser also includes an ever ready cover means or readily filling powder into the barrel 2 comprising i scoop 26 having a body 27 of cylindrical outline and liameter to substantially fit the internal diameter of the aarrel 2. The end wall 28 of the scoop 26 terminates in t peripheral bead or lip 29 as best shown in Figs. 2 and 6 :or the purpose of providing means to overhang the end )f the barrel 2 and to provide an annular finger grip for :onveniently removing the scoop 26 from the end of the Jarrel 2.

By taking a scoopful of powder and guiding the same into the barrel 21, which is preferably held in horizontal position during the insertion of the scoop, the filling operation is conveniently and quickly accomplished without spilling. Furthermore, cylindrical body 27 of the scoop 26 hugs the barrel 2 and permits the free vertical operation of the dispensing unit without structural interference. The scoop wall 28 provides a secondary cover for closing the upper end of the barrel 2 to counteract the loss of face powder through this end of the barrel if the cover 3 should be accidentally removed or dislodged. The scoop per se may serve as the principle cover for the barrel. Both the cap 3 and scoop 26 together do, however, form a good powder seal structure for the dispenser.

Referring now to Figs. 7 and 8, the dispenser here shown comprises a barrel 30 terminating in an end 31 having a cylindrically walled port 32 formed therein. This barrel also has inwardly formed projections 33 to engage the wings of a spider 34 that is carried upon a stem 35 forming a part of the dispensing and valving means 36 of this modified construction. In this case the valve head 37 also comprises an upwardly and outwardly flared powder dispensing boss 38 having a feather edge shoulder 39 to seat upon the upper peripheral terminal edge 40 of the port 32. As best shown in Fig. 8, the valve head terminates in an outwardly projecting actuating stud 41 having a plurality of flat side walls 42 connected by the cylindrical portions 43 which depend from the cylindrical cut-off valve 44. With the use of the squared end such as 45 having the fiats and curved surfaces described, shoulders such as 46 are formed about the squared end 45 at the port 32.

During the operation of this dispenser, the squared end 45 is moved inwardly whereupon this end of the dispenser comprising the head 37 is guided by means of the surfaces 43 within the port 32. When the squared end 45 is vertically displaced with the cut-off valve 44 out of contact with the port 32, a powder dispensing area is produced equivalent to the collective areas of the segmental shoulders 46 inasmuch as the squared end 45 provides segmental openings between such end and the inner peripheral cylindrical wall of the port 32.

In this construction, an expansion spring 47 also maintains the parts in their operative relationship as in the form previously described. This construction only uses one spider 34 adjacent the upper end of the stem 35 since the head 37 is guided within the port or opening 32 by means of the surfaces 43 to prevent dislodgment of the head 37 from its operative engagement within the port 32. A shoulder 48 is provided on the stem 35 for engaging the extended sleeve 49 that is carried upon the spider 34. This stops the upward movement of the valve head 37 when the bottom surface 50 of the squared end 45 is brought into alignment with the bottom surface 51 of the container 30.

The dispensing and valving parts are also retained in their assembled relationship by means of a suitable pin 52 carried by the stem 35 so that these parts may also be bodily removed from the container for cleaning purposes.

Attention is directed to the fact that the dispensing boss 13 and the upwardly tapered dispensing boss 38 in both forms provide means for moving the powder lat- 'erally outwardly and away from the area of the ports 10 and 32 respectively. This action assures seating of the feather edge shoulders 21 and 39 under normal conditions of operation.

It should also be further understood that the modified construction may be made to dispense more or less powder under the segmental structure of the squared end 45 by changing the radial locations of the flats 42, thus enlarging or decreasing the shoulders 46 which move the powder from within the container 30 outwardly through the port 32.

Further changes and modifications are also contemplated in the powder dispenser of the present invention. However, such changes and modifications shall be governed by the breadth and scope of the language in the claims appended hereto.

What I claim is:

1. In a powder dispenser, a powder container, and valve means to release powder from said container comprising a movable valve head including a straight sided cylindrically surfaced section arranged along the length thereof to function as a valving powder cut-off, said container having a port formed therein and defined by a cylindrical straight surfaced annular wall arranged to snugly accommodate said cut-off, and a feather edge stop 011 said head arranged for disposition immediately adjacent one terminal end of said powder cut-off to engage the adjacent peripheral edge portion of said container at said port, said feather edge providing means to locate said cut-01f in full valving position within said port, and operable means to actuate said head in a direction to separate said cut-off from said port.

2. In a powder dispenser, an enclosed powder barrel terminating in an end having a cylindrically walled port therein, and valve means for said port carried within said barrel comprising a cylindrically surfaced valve cutoff to slidably fit within said port with the cylindrically surfaced valve cut-off disposed in circular coincident relation with the cylindrical wall of said barrel port, a feather edge shoulder positioned at one end of said cut-ofi to engage the peripheral edge of said port at the barrel side thereof, operable means to releasably hold said parts in telescoped valving relation with respect to said port, and actuating means connected with said valve cut-off and disposed outwardly of said barrel whereby to move said valve parts out of said telescoped valving relation with said barrel port, said actuating means comprising a stud having spaced surface portions thereon for contact and guidance in said cylindrical walled port and having a smaller cross sectional area than said cylindrically surfaced valve cut-oif and the barrel port area to provide a right angled shoulder at the juncture of said valve cut-off and stud, whereby movement of said valve cutotf away from said port disposes the stud within said barrel port to permit powder discharge through said port by said right angled shoulder as said cut-off is again moved toward said port.

3. In a powder dispenser, a barrel having a cylindrically walled discharge port, and valving means to open and close said port comprising a valve having a cylindrically surfaced powder cut-0E section to snugly telescope within the port and close said port, a feather edge stop located adjacent said cut-off section to determine the valving position of said cut-off section with respect to said port, and actuating means connected with said cut-off section and extending outwardly of said port for external contact to move said section out of said port.

4. In a powder dispenser, a barrel having a circularly walled discharge port, and slidable valving means to open and close said port comprising a valve having a circularly surfaced powder cut-off section to match and to snugly fit within the port to close said port, a feather edge stop flanking said cut-off section to determine the operative valving position of said cut-off section in said port, and actuating means connected with said cut-off section and extending outwardly of said port for external contact to move said section out of said port, said actuating means comprising a metering member depending from said cutofi section and having a given cross sectional area smaller than the area of said port, said metering member having' a predetermined irregular contour with certain portions thereof arranged contiguously and circularly coincident with said circular surface of said cut-off section for slidably engaging portions of the wall of said port to maintain said cut-0E section in operative alignment with said barrel port when said section is moved out of said port, and said metering member having certain other portions thereof extending continuously from said cut-off section to the end of said membed to provide parallel surface discharge zones along said member for straight line powder discharge out of said barrel discharge port.

5. In a powder dispenser, a barrel having a discharge opening, a valve unit to open and close said opening, spaced guide members carried by said valve unit and having edge portions thereof arranged to slidably engage the interior wall surface of said barrel and to position said valve unit in operative relation within said barrel and with respect to said opening, spring means coacting with at least one of said guide members to normally urge said valve unit into closing position with respect to said opening, and coacting separable abutment means connected with said one guide member and barrel respectively to releasably retain said entire valve unit in operative relation within said barrel.

6. In a powder dispenser, a barrel having a discharge opening, a valve unit to open and close said opening, guide members arranged in longitudinally spaced relation within said barrel and connected with said valve unit to position said valve unit in operative relation within said barrel and with respect to said opening, spring means having abutting engagement with at least one of said members and connected with said valve unit to normally urge said valve unit to close said opening, and at least one of said members being carried by said valve unit adjacent the discharge opening in said barrel and arranged for movement directly with said valve and relative to said barrel upon bodily actuation of said valve unit, said one member being constructed and arranged to provide means to agitate and loosen powder carried in said barrel and adjacent the discharge opening of the barrel.

7. In a dispenser for powdered material having a chamber with a discharge port defined by a peripheral wall thereof, the improvement consisting of a powder release valve for said port comprising a straight sided body operable relatively to the port and to fill said port by contiguous coincident contact with the wall thereof, a tapered boss connected adjacent one end of said straight sided body for disposition wholly within said dispenser chamber and having the walls thereof converging away from said body, a feather edge stop on said tapered boss at the juncture of said boss and straight sided body and arranged for abutting engagement with one terminal edge of said discharge port, and stud means connected with the other end of said straight sided body and for disposition outwardly of said dispenser chamber to move said body out of said port, said stud means comprising an extension on said body having surface wallportions thereof forming contiguous continuations of said body contour for sliding fit with respect to the Wall of said port to guide said body upon displacement of the latter out of said port, and said extension having other surface wall portions thereof recessed inwardly from said first wall portions and running the full length of said extension from adjacent the body to the terminal end of the extension to provide uninterrupted powder discharge ways along said extension when the latter is displaced for registry within said port.

8. In a powder dispenser, a barrel having a discharge opening, a valve unit to open and close said opening, spaced guide members to position said valve unit in operative relation within said barrel and with respect to said opening, said guide members each comprising a spider having a hub for said valve unit with legs extending outwardly from said hub for edge contact with the barrel wall, one of said members being connected to move with said valve unit and the other of said members being movable relatively to said valve unit, retaining means carried by said barrel for releasable contact with said other member, and spring means interposed between said two members to normally urge said valve unit into closing said opening, said retaining means being adapted to provide additional tension in said spring means to keep the valve unit tightly seated, and at least one of said members providing agitating means through the leg formation thereof to keep the powder from packing.

9. In a powder dispenser, a barrel having a discharge opening, a valve unit to open and close said opening, spaced guide members to position said valve unit in operative relation within said barrel and with respect to said opening, said guide members each comprising a spider having a hub for said valve unit with legs extending outwardly from said hub for edge contact with the barrel wall, one of said members being connected to move with said valve unit and the other of said members being movable relatively to said valve unit, retaining means carried by said barrel for releasable contact with said other member, and expansion spring means interposed between said two members to normally urge said valve unit into closing said opening, said retaining means being adapted to provide additional tension in said spring means to keep the valve unit tightly seated, and at least one of said members providing agitating means through the leg formation thereof to keep the powder from packing, said retaining means on said barrel comprising inwardly positioned projections on the wall of the barrel and said other guide member spider being provided with cupped end portions to seat partially about said barrel projections respectively and to prevent relative rotationally displacement between said spider parts and said barrel projections under normal powder dispensing conditions.

10. In a powder dispenser, a barrel having a discharge opening, a valve unit to open and close said opening, spaced guide members to position said valve unit in operative relation within said barrel and with respect to said opening, said guide members each comprising a spider having a hub for said valve unit with legs extending outwardly from said hub for edge contact with the barrel wall, one of said members being connected to move with said valve unit and the other of said members being movable relatively to said valve unit, retaining means carried by said barrel for releasable contact with said other member, and expansion spring means interposed between said two members to normally urge said valve unit into closing said opening, said valve unit having stop means thereon to confine the expansion of said spring means between predetermined limits relative to said valve unit, and said barrel retaining means occupying a predetermined spaced relation with respect to said powder discharge valving area to additionally compress said spring means in spaced relation to said stop means with said other member and in a direction to normally hold said valve unit closed with respect to said barrel discharge opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,062,576 Baskett et al. May 20, 1913 1,115,062 Fuller Oct. 27, 1914 1,165,673 Holmes Dec. 28, 1915 1,208,784 Holmes Dec. 19, 1916 1,305,476 McCord June 3, 1919 1,868,298 Walls July 19, 1932 1,934,197 MacKay et al. Nov. 7, 1933 1,993,401 Dudley Mar. 5, 1935 2,028,655 Fitknee Jan. 21, 1936 

